The Square of Revenge

The Square of Revenge

By: Pieter Aspe

Break through the first chapter of The Square of Revenge by Pieter Aspe and you will see why this mystery and crime drama has quickly become an international best seller. Full of twists, turns and varying characters, Pieter Aspe has become sort of a modern day Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in creating this ever evolving story that’s sure to ensnare and intrigue almost anyone. A fast paces story, you will find yourself burning through page after page, devouring every little detail, echoing every question. This is a book that kept me on my toes and made me desperate for more from cover to cover. Any spare moments were spent devouring another page or two – just to get another quick fix to hold me over until later when I could once again curl up and rejoin this cast of characters in trying to piece together the mysterious crimes.

Set in the city of Bruges and small towns nearby, the country of Belgium becomes the center of the world’s attention when a serious of curious crimes and events are committed against a wealthy jeweler and his family. From break-ins, to cryptic messages, all the way up to a kidnapping with a most curious ransom demand, the world watches with baited breath as Pieter Van In and Henelore Martens fervently work to solve the cases. The nuance and detail that is woven into the writing of Pieter Aspe belies the caliber of his writing skill. His lead, Pieter Van In is re-energized by these events and takes on the air of Sherlock Holmes with the young Deputy Public Prosecutor as his female and quite attractive Watson. Aspe’s work in The Square of Revenge is masterful and I anxiously wait in hopes that his genius will gift us with another great novel soon.

Crime Dramas and mysteries are the genres I am drawn to when I am not reading historical works so I read quite a few books from Aspe’s contemporaries. This review is not over the top or ultra flowery. I thoroughly enjoyed this work and was kept guessing throughout it’s entirety. Just when you think the whole thing is neatly buttoned up, after miles and miles of police work and piecing together what seem to be completely unlikely clues, Pieter Aspe is still delivering new details and twists. From the first page to the final cover this book delivers a great story. It was nice to be transported from the rush of Christmas and the stress of finishing my handmade Christmas presents, planing the office Christmas Party and managing my yoga site, to the historic towns and cities of Belgium. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes fiction, let along crime dramas or mysteries.